Donation supports programs focused on healthcare and environmental research and education

TORONTO, Sept. 1, 2016 /CNW/ - Ferring Canada, a subsidiary of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, is proud to announce a $2 million donation to McGill University in Montreal, Canada that will be used to create fellowships in health and health leadership, and to finance environmental research in the Canadian Arctic.

Since its creation in 1950 by Dr. Frederik Paulsen Senior (the father of current chairman, Frederik Paulsen), Ferring Pharmaceuticals has been focused on research, the application of rigorous scientific principles, and the best independent academic study. The donation continues this focus by creating two new Ferring Pharmaceutical Fellowships to support graduate students in McGill University'sDesautels Faculty of Management and Faculty of Medicine.

"We are very grateful to Ferring Pharmaceuticals for this latest donation, which builds on an established partnership with our University," says McGill Principal and Vice-Chancellor Suzanne Fortier. "Ferring's generosity will help maintain Canada's leadership in the health sciences by allowing us to recruit exceptional young researchers and train them in disciplines essential to our future."

The donation will establish the Ferring Fellowships in Health Leadership in the Desautels Faculty of Management in the International Masters for Health Leadership Program (IMHL Program), which will be awarded to graduate students entering the IMHL Program who seek to enact transformative change in healthcare delivery in Canadian communities. The donation will also provide support for the renovation of the Desautels Faculty facilities.

In addition, the Ferring Pharmaceuticals Postdoctoral Fellowships in Health will provide support to one or more Postdoctoral Fellows in McGill's Faculty of Medicine pursuing research in the areas of Reproductive Health, Urology, Orthopaedics/Orthobiologics, Gastroenterology or Endocrinology.

"Investment into scientific education and research is critical for healthcare innovation, and these programs will provide resources to some of our country's most promising future healthcare leaders," says Michel Pettigrew, President of the Executive Board and Chief Operating Officer of Ferring Pharmaceuticals, and a McGill alumnus. "McGill is one of the premier research-based institutions, and Ferring is proud to extend our partnership."

Underlining its commitment to the global environment, Ferring will also continue to fund research for the Canadian Arctic Ice Buoy Program in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which investigates causes of, and possible solutions to, the challenges of climate change.

About McGill University

McGill University is one of Canada's top institutions of higher learning and one of the leading universities in the world. With students coming to McGill from some 150 countries, its student body is the most internationally diverse of any research-intensive university in the country. Its 11 faculties and 11 professional schools offer more than 300 programs of study to some 40,000 graduate, undergraduate and continuing studies students. McGill ranks 1st in Canada among medical-doctoral universities (Maclean's) and 24th in the world (QS World University Rankings).

About Ferring Pharmaceuticals

Headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of reproductive health, urology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and orthopaedics. Ferring has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries and markets its products in 110 countries.

About Ferring Canada

Ferring Canada is the Canadian subsidiary of Ferring Pharmaceuticals. Ferring Canada started its operations in 1987 with just three employees. Today, the company employs nearly 90 employees and sees considerable growth ahead as it continues to bring valuable new products to the Canadian marketplace. The company's therapeutic focus is on gastroenterology, urology and reproductive health. Ferring Canada is committed to providing innovative medicines that will help Canadians have an even better quality of life in the years to come.